1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to coaxial cable connectors. More particularly, the invention relates to a connector for coaxial cable with a solid outer conductor. The connector is coupled to the coaxial cable via threading and a connector body radial crimp operation.
2. Description of Related Art
Coaxial cable connectors are used, for example, in communication systems requiring a high level of precision and reliability.
To create a secure mechanical and electrical interconnection between the cable and the connector, it is desirable to have generally uniform, circumferential contact between a leading edge of the coaxial cable outer conductor and the connector body. A flared end of the outer conductor may be clamped against an annular wedge surface of the connector body, via a coupling nut. Representative of this technology is commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 5,795,188 issued Aug. 18, 1998 to Harwath.
Interlocking machine threaded coupling surfaces between the metal body and the coupling nut of U.S. Pat. No. 5,795,188 and similarly configured prior coaxial connectors significantly increase manufacturing costs and installation time requirements. Another drawback is the requirement for connector disassembly, sliding the back body over the cable end and then performing a precision cable end flaring operation, which retains the cable within the connector body during threading. Further, care must be taken at the final threading procedure and/or additional connector element(s) added to avoid damaging the flared end portion of the outer conductor as it is clamped between the body and the coupling nut to form a secure electro-mechanical connection between the outer conductor and the connector.
Alternative coaxial connector solutions, utilizing gripping and/or support elements about which the connector body is then radially crimped and/or axially compressed to secure an electromechanical interconnection between the outer conductor of the coaxial cable and the connector, are also known in the art. Commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 6,840,803 issued Jan. 11, 2005 to Wlos discloses a crimp connector for a specific helically corrugated solid outer conductor cable. Longitudinal retention is obtained by threading a mating section of the connector body bore onto the helical corrugations of the outer conductor. A crimp operation is performed to deform the corrugation interconnection, thus creating a secure electrical interconnection and preventing unthreading. This configuration is usable only with specific outer conductor helical corrugation configurations, and in environments with wide temperature variations it may be susceptible to interconnection quality degradation over time as the different thermal expansion coefficients between the connector body and solid outer conductor act upon the interconnection during repeated expansion and contraction.
Competition in the coaxial cable connector market has focused attention on improving electrical performance and minimization of overall costs, including materials costs, training requirements for installation personnel, reduction of dedicated installation tooling and/or the total number of required installation steps and/or operations.
Therefore, it is an object of the invention to provide a coaxial connector that overcomes deficiencies in the prior art.